An Unforced Error: The Untold Story of the Suleymaniyah Hood Incident

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 109 - 123

Edward J. Erickson

https://doi.org/10.52792/tws.1706102

Abstract

One of the most significant events damaging Turkish – American relations in the 21st century was the “Sulaymaniyah Hood Incident” of July 4, 2003, which is widely recalled in Turkey today as the “Hood Incident” (Çuval Olayı). However, what happened that day is conspicuously absent from American histories of the war. According to a contemporary apologia from then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the decision to apprehend the Turkish soldiers was made suddenly “in view of time-sensitive and credible intelligence.” In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth, and the full story of the incident has never been revealed. What actually happened that day was a deliberate “sting operation” organized by Jelal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), designed to embarrass the Turks and weaken their influence in northern Iraq. Colonel William C. Mayville Jr, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade supported and participated in the plan and Major General Raymond T. Odierno, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, approved American participation. This is a first person account of the decisions that led to an avoidable confrontation that escalated out of control which continues to afflict the Turkish-American strategic partnership today.

Keywords

Sulaymaniyah Hood Incident , Operation Iraqi Freedom , Turkish – American Relations , Raymond T. Odierno

Zorunlu Olmayan Bir Hata: Süleymaniye Çuval Hadisesinin Anlatılmamış Hikâyesi

Abstract

Yirmi birinci yüzyılda Türk – Amerikan ilişkilerine en çok zarar veren olaylardan biri, 4 Temmuz 2003 tarihinde gerçekleşen ve Türkiye’de “Çuval Olayı” olarak hafızalara kazınan “Süleymaniye Çuval Hadisesi”dir. Ancak, o gün yaşananlar Amerikan savaş tarihlerinde neredeyse hiç yer bulmamaktadır. Dönemin Savunma Bakanı Donald Rumsfeld tarafından yapılan bir savunmaya göre, Türk askerlerinin gözaltına alınması kararı, “zamanla sınırlı ve güvenilir istihbarat” doğrultusunda ani bir şekilde verilmiştir. Oysa gerçekte durum bundan çok uzaktır ve olayın tam hikâyesi hiçbir zaman açıklığa kavuşmamıştır.
Gerçekte o gün yaşananlar, Kürdistan Yurtseverler Birliği (KYB) lideri Celal Talabani tarafından Türkleri küçük düşürmek ve kuzey Irak’taki etkilerini zayıflatmak amacıyla kurgulanmış kasıtlı bir “komplo operasyonuydu.” 173. Hava Tümeni'nin komutanı Albay William C. Mayville Jr., bu plana destek vermiş ve doğrudan katılmış; 4. Piyade Tümeni Komutanı Tümgeneral Raymond T. Odierno ise Amerikan katılımını onaylamıştır.
Bu makale, kaçınılmaz olmayan bir çatışmaya yol açan kararları birinci elden aktaran ve bugün hâlâ Türk-Amerikan stratejik ortaklığını etkileyen bir krizin perde arkasını gözler önüne sermektedir.

Keywords

Süleymaniye Çuval Hadisesi , Irak , Türk-Amerikan İlişkileri , Raymond T. Odierno

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